Weapons
Weapons Weapons serve as the primary source of damage for all characters. Even those who use magic determine the damage they deal based on their weapon's damage. Because of this, it should always be a goal for players to make sure their weapon is current to the their level. All weapons have certain statistics. Class and Type: Class determines who is able to equip a weapon. Their are seven classes of weapon: three for ranged, and four for melee. Three weapon types are found within each class, affecting primarily weapon speed and damage, and are used by certain abilities and masteries. Magical ranged includes wands, sources, and holy symbols, and are used by summoners, enchanters, and ministers. Basic ranged includes light crossbow, shortbows, and thrown weapons, and are used by swordsmen, stalwarts, and paladins. Superior ranged includes longbows, heavy crossbows, and paired hand crossbows, and are used by marksmen and executioners. Magical melee weapons include staves, rods, and scythes, and are used by enchanters and summoners. Basic melee weapons include maces, daggers, and sickles, and are used by marksmen, paladins, and ministers. Superior melee weapons include swords, axes, and hammers, and are used by executioners, stalwarts, and swordsmen. Two-handed weapons are only used by swordsmen, and include two-handed variants of all superior weapons. Tier and Rank: Every weapon is defined by its tier and rank. Tier is tied to the characterer level. To use a tier 16 weapon, the highest tier, a character need to be level 50. To use a tier 1 weapon, the character must be level 9. For the first levels of play, a character will use a tier 0 weapon. Every tier has associated materials. Rank determines the rarity and level of magic in a weapon. There are five ranks: mundane, masterwork, magical, legendary, and artifact. Mundane weapons have no magical powers. Masterwork weapons raise player statistics. Magical and beyond have even more notable powers. Alongside these bonuses, damage is increased by the rank of the weapon. Damage, Speed, and DPS: All weapons have damage, speed, and a DPS (damage per second) derived from the two. DPS represents the damage done to an enemy of the same level with average defense. While weapons of the same class, tier, and rank will have DPS values that are approximately the same, their speed and damage will vary, which determines their effectiveness versus different defenses. For example, hammers are slow, which allows them to deal more damage against heavily armored opponents, while swords are fast and deal damage better against lightly armored opponents. Below is a graph showing the average damage of a comparable weapons against different defenses. Damage range will also vary between weapons. Axes tend to vary wildly in damage. Off-hand Items: In addition to weapons, characters wield a variety of items in their off-hand, depending on their class. Conjurers and enchanters wield foci, such as spellbooks, crystals, and censors, which raise the damage done by their spells and help them concentrate. Ministers fill their second hand with a small shield, providing them a chance to block attacks and lower damage. Paladins and stalwarts are able to use large shields, which block a larger amount of damage, or spiked shields, which increase the damage of shield abilities. Marksman wield two basic weapons, while executioners wield two superior weapons, increasing their rate of attack. Swordsmen have the most options for their off-hand able to use small shields if they prefer defense, two-handed weapons for higher damage, or two superior weapons for quicker attacks.